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I was confused about what to say to him.
ne up with
âL⦠I donât know what to say,â I finally admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. âMy mind is blank. I canât come any decision. I⦠I want breakâ
The clouds crackled with my last words.
Tears welled in our eyes as we grappled with the conflicting desires of our heart and the harsh reality of our situation.
sure about one thing that the path forward would be fraught with uncertainty and difficult choices. But one thing was certain:
couldnât afford to let my down , not when the stakes were so high.
I ran ahead and was about to slip when Luciano grabbed my arms and saved me from getting injured.
âDove, pleaseâ he bite lower lip to stop it from quivering
His hold on my arm tightening as he was not ready to just let me
âI canâtâ
Warm
Pulling away my arm from his hold I looked at him for the last time. I need time. I canât take any decision in such a situation where my mind is completely blank. I am not in a condition to think whatâs right or wrong for me.
His eyes were still begging me. I looked away before my heart could melt.
I took a step forward only for him to move behind me âVanessa, please it is raining heavilyâ
âPlease Luciano, if you have ever loved me the way you said, please donât follow meâ
of sadness passed through his eyes as he heard me âThanks for the best birthday gift I muttered before running away.
I ran ahead, my vision blurred by tears. The rain, mirroring my turmoil, poured relentlessly from the sky, drenching me to the bone but I didnât care. Each raindrop felt like a tiny echo of the pain I carried inside.
I was running madly in the middle of the streets without caring that I might slip and injure myself. I wasnât sure where my feet were taking me. I was running, without a destination in mind, driven only by the need to escape from my past, from all the bad decisions I have made.
I knew that in this weather I wonât even get the cab. I was pretty sure that Luciano was still watching me from the back but I didnât turn around even for once to look at ..
Suddenly a car halted beside me, the sound of tires skidding on wet pavement broke through the pounding rain.
âHey, are you okay?â a womanâs voice called out over the rain. She rolled down her window, her eyes moving down my body.
Instead of replying to her I panted heavily. My head dizzy.
âDo you need any help?â She asked me
The way my head is spinning I am not sure I would be able to reach anywhere safely or
âI you should hop in. Itâs not safe to be out here alone in this weather?
I gulped and nodded. She helped me in opening the door and without thinking much I sat inside. My wrapped around my arms as the cold wind hit me.
âWhere is your home?â She asked me.
14:35 Sat, 6 Apr
Chapter 48
My homel
I donât any home.
What should I tell her?
She looked at my side for more than second when I didnât reply. Unable to come up with anything I told her the address to my friendâs home. It is the only temporary shelter which I know in a situation where I have nowhere to go.
As we drove on, the rain pattering against the windshield, I fought to keep my emotions in check. I wanted to cry out loud, to unleash the torrent of pain and uncertainty that threatened to consume me. But I held it in, steeling myself against the onslaught of emotions.
The words of Luciano came back to my mind as she drove. I donât know why it feels like there is still something which Luciano is hiding from me. Mere forcing him to the board school could not make him hate his so much.
Every time he mentioned that something dark happened in his family, it seems like that is also related to me. We know each other neither as much as I know our families are not connected but still somewhere it feels like it is related to my family.
The sudden brake of the car broke the chain of my thoughts. I looked out to find that she has stopped at my
Thank you so muchâ
friendâs home.
She nodded as I thanked her for her kind behaviour. Stepping out I went straight inside the house to find it empty. I didnât have enough energy to change my clothes or go to the room.
My whole life has became a mess!
My legs gave up and I collapsed on the floor crying my heart out. The table beside, gave me the support to lean my head and cry. Each sob tore through my chest, wrenching my body with its raw intensity.
My cries echoed in the whole room. I was feeling more hurt because Luciano never tried to tell me that it all a facade. I wouldnât be that much hurt if he told me the truth.
All my energy drained away as I placed my head on the table and suddenly everything became blackâ¦.
âDonât punish yourself, Vanessa. He is a good give him one chance to prove himself My eyes shot open as the words rang in my head. I am sure it was the voice of my parents.
My whole body shivered when the cold air from window hit my body. My clothes were almost dry. I slept for two hours. My neck and back were throbbing because of sleeping in such an uncomfortable situation.
Before I think of the dream again, my phone rang. The call was from my friend, Clara.
When I came here I was so much lost in my thoughts that I didnât notice that the doors of the house were already open and she was not at home.
Suddenly a frightening feeling settled in the pit of my stomach. It is midnight and she has never called me like that ever
before.
âHelloâ I murmured the call/my voice hoarse as I was in a deep sleep before this.
âVanessa, where are you?â Claraâs voice quivered with fear, sending a jolt of alarm coursing through my veins.
48
pounded in my chest as I struggled to make sense of her words. My doubts were confirmedâshe was in danger.
1- I am at your homeâ I told her the truth âwhat happened ? Is everything alright?â
asked her when I myself feared her
next words.
A loud sob escaped her throat which she tried to supress but failed to. And then my heart wrenched in my chest when I heard her pain filled voice which was followed by a loud sound of leather. It felt like someone is beating her with belt or something like that.
âWhat- what happened Clara? Where are you?â My body instantly became attentive.
Vanessa, please please save⦠Ahhhh!â Claraâs voice was drowned out by another agonizing scream, cutting through the air like a knife.
Who could behave so cruelly with her?
As far as know she doesnât have any enemies.
But as the seconds stretched into eternity, all I could hear was the echo of Claraâs pain, mingled with the sickening sound of leather striking flesh. Every fiber of my being screamed for action, for intervention, but I was powerless to do anything but listen in horror as my friend suffered on the other end of the line.
âStop, please, stop!â I screamed into the phone, my voice raw with desperation and fear. The sound of Claraâs agony tore at my soul, driving me to the brink of madness as I pleaded with whoever was inflicting such brutality upon her.
Maybe, maybe my pleas could stop the monster. As if heaven heard my pleas, voice ceased all of a sudden. âVanessa who is this? Please tell me where you are!â I asked, my voice filled with panick and concern for my friend Everything that happened with me a few hours ago was now long gone. All I wanted was to save my friend!
âIâI donât knowâ she cried.
With trembling hands, I gripped the phone tightly, my heart pounding in my chest as I searched for some clue, some hint of where Clara might be.
Suddenly it felt like someone else had taken the phone and I was sure it was none other than the kidnapper himself.
âWhat do you want?â I asked directly, without beating around the bush.
âYOU! The word echoed through the receiver, sharp and menacing, sending a shiver down my spine. His response struck me like a physical blow, leaving me reeling with disbelief.
But what chilled me to th core even more was the fact that the voice felt so familiar. I couldnât believe that he could low!
steep so
14:35 Sat, 6 Apr